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A Study on the Democratic Style of Leadership
Dr. L. Jibon Kumar Sharma1 Dr. S. Keshorjit Singh2
1
Director, 2Faculty member
Manipur Institute of Management Studies,
Manipur University (A Central University) Imaphal, Manipur, India
ABSTRACT
The paper studies democratic style of leadership and how
the style influences the practices of leadership. Leadership
can be categorized based on the level of involving team
members and participating in the decision making process.
The study is exploratory in nature and attempts to explore
and analyze the democratic aspects of leadership style and
its influence in the practices of leadership. The study adopts
survey and interview techniques and 25 leaders of the state
Manipur, India are considered as sample. The primary data
are collected using interview cum questionnaire method
from the top executives of the selected 25 organizations
and also from two immediate subordinates of the sampled
executives of the selected organizations and from two
immediate subordinates of the sampled executives. The
responses of the followers become essential to crosscheck
the practices of the leaders. The study highlights how the
democratic style influences the practice of leadership.
General Terms
Leadership, Democratic style, Decision making,
Involvement, Participation
Indexing Terms
Decision making, Involvement of subordinates, Ideas and
inputs, Mediation, Skill sharing, and Motivating factor,
Academic Discipline And Sub-Disciplines
Social Science
Subject Classification
Management
Coverage
Democratic Style of Leadership in Leadership Study
Type (Method/Approach)
Exploratory Research Approach
1. INTRODUCTION
Leadership is a universal phenomenon and as old as history
of human (Bass, 1990). Democratic leadership plays key
role in democratic movements (Adorno, 1965; Gastil, 1994;
Kunter, 1965). According to Anderson (1959) democratic
leader is one who encourages participation in decision
making and democratic leadership relates with higher
morale in most leadership situations. Democratic leaders
offer guidance to group members, participate in the group
and allow input from subordinates. Democratic leadership
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Council for Innovative Research
Volume 3, No 2, January, 2013
is termed as the most effective leadership style (Lewin and
White, 1939). Democratic leadership relates with increased
follower productivity, satisfaction, involvement, and
commitment (Hackman & Johnson, 1996). They delegate
authority to followers and also give ongoing support and
focus for the challenging works. Often this style of leader
has the vision to realize what people need and ensure that
they get it. In the process they generate successful and
sustainable organizations. Member satisfaction are greater
under democratic leadership (Bass, 1990; Stogdill, 1974).
They have confidence and trust in their people. When
issues arise and decisions must be made, relevant and
varied participants are involved to discuss the situation and
a majority view is taken as the final decision. However the
impediments to democratic leadership are time consuming
process in taking decision though the participation in the
process enhances the productivity (Denhardt & Denhardt,
2003; Hackman & Johnson, 1996).
The study is exploratory in nature and attempts to explore
and analyze the democratic styles of leadership and for the
purpose 25 leaders of the state Manipur, India are
considered. The sample comprises of both the private and
government sector. In the government sector eighteen
departmental heads including six deputy commissioners of
six different districts of the state are chosen and in the
private sector seven private organizations are chosen based
on the number of employees and profitability of the
organizations. Primary data are collected using interview
cum questionnaire method from the top executives of the
selected organizations and from two immediate
subordinates of the sampled executives. The responses of
the followers become essential component to crosscheck
the practices of the leaders. The required data for the
present study is mainly based on the primary sources
supplemented by secondary. The paper assesses style of the
sampled leaders with reference to democratic style of
leadership. For the purpose, eight statements relating to
leadership behaviors and actions have been used. The
statements were related with the following parameters:
(i) Decision making
(ii) Involvement of subordinates
(iii) Ideas and inputs
(iv) Employees’ participation
(v) Motivating factor
(vi) Participation and skill sharing
(vii) Work with employees
(viii) Mediation
The sampled leaders were called upon to indicate the
degree to which they stand on a five point rating scale for
every statement:
Almost Always True (5)
Frequently True (4)
Occasionally True (3)
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Seldom True (2)
Almost Never True (1)
Two immediate subordinates for each sampled leader were
also cross-examined. The score on the leader’s table
provide information about how the leaders see themselves
and the score of the followers highlight their perception of
the same leader. A brief detail for each parameter and
analysis thereof are shown in Table (1).
2. DECISION MAKING
Decision making is one of the most important functions of
leadership. It is true that every leader takes decisions but
the ways of making decisions vary from one leader to
another. The variation makes a difference in style of
leadership. Their way of decision making is an important
input for identifying the leadership style.
An attempt has been made to determine the style of the
sampled leaders by putting a statement regarding
involvement of people in making decision making process.
The median scores for the sampled leaders correspond to
the highest scale of response category – ‘Almost Always
True’ with a score of 5 in the five point scale (Table (1)).
The result shows that the sampled leaders involve people in
taking decision. The median score of the follower is
‘Frequently True’ (4). According to the rating of the
followers, the sampled leaders have slightly overrated
however they agree that the sample leader involve people.
3. INVOLVEMENT OF
SUBORDINATES
Leaders need ideas and inputs from the subordinates.
Democratic leaders act like a coach who have the final say
but gather information and take inputs from staff members
for future developments in the best interest of the
employees and stake holders.
It has been observed from the table that the median scores
for both the sampled leaders and followers correspond to
the second highest rating of response category -- Frequently
True (4) (Table (1)).. So the sampled leaders feel that they
need the ideas and input from subordinate for upcoming
plans and ventures. The sampled followers also agree.
4. IDEAS AND INPUTS
The changes taking place in technology, demographics,
markets, consumers and their preferences in economies
have significant impacts on organizations. The leader
examine how to response to these environmental changes
and what strategies to adopt. Clearly this exercise is not
self-contained, rather people involvement, contribution and
conceptualizing new ideas are required and different
possible inputs are taken from the employees.
The median scores for the sampled leaders is -- Almost
Always True (5) (Table (1)). They discuss with their
employees to get their input and advice for developing
strategy and conceptualizing new ideas. The median score
for the followers’ on this category falls at the third highest
rating of response category -- Occasionally true (3).
According to the rating of the followers, the sampled
leaders have overrated their responses on the discussed
issue. They occasionally discuss with their employees.
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Council for Innovative Research
International Journal of Management & Information Technology
Volume 3, No 2, January, 2013
5. EMPLOYEES PARTICIPATION
The fourth statement is regarding encouragement of
employees to participate in the decision making process. A
good democratic leader develops moral and esprit de corps
for his employees. Democratic leader has confidence and
trust in their employees and encourage them to participate
in the decision making process.
The responses of the sampled leaders and their followers
regarding employee’s participation in decision making
process are shown in Table (1). The median score for the
sampled leaders is at the highest scale – ‘Almost Always
True’ (5). This result infers that the sampled leaders
encourage their employees to participate in the decision
making process. The followers have rated the sample
leaders in this category. The median score for the sampled
followers corresponds to third scale of response category –
‘Occasionally True’ (3). There is a gap between the two
median scores. According to the sampled followers their
leaders have overrated on this parameter-employees’
participation. The sample leaders occasionally encourage
their employees to participate in the decision making
process.
6. MOTIVATING FACTOR
A democratic leader influences employees’ motivation
through participation and empowerment. He or she
motivates his or her team by empowering them to direct
themselves, and guide them with a loose reign.
In the light of the above discussion attempt has been made
to study the motivating factor the sampled leaders to their
employees. The median scores for the sampled leaders is
‘Almost Always True’ (5) (Table (1)). The sampled leaders
felt that motivating their employees is participating in the
development of processes. According to the sample
follower the statement is frequently true (Table (1)). Both
the leader and follower agree that participation is
encouraged.
7. PARTICIPATION AND SKILL
SHARING
A democratic leader believes in the capabilities and skill of
his or her employees. He or she involves his or her
employees widely in many organizational activities. He or
she thinks that the main motivating factor for the employee
is participation and skill sharing. The responses of the
sampled leaders and their followers regarding employee’s
participation and skill sharing are shown in Table (1). The
sample leader almost always involves their employees
widely in many organizational activities.
The result highlights that the sampled leaders have thought
that the main motivating factor for their employees is
participation and skill sharing – median score is ‘Almost
Always True’ (5). Followers have highlighted this aspect as
‘Frequently True’ (4). Hence, there is no disagreement
regarding this aspect. However, according to the response
of the followers the leaders have rated themselves slightly
more in this aspect.
8. WORK WITH EMPLOYEES
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The democratic leadership style is also called the to followers in making decisions. They took the ideas and
participative style as it encourages employees to be a part inputs from the followers for upcoming plans and
of the decision making. Democratic leaders try to strategies. They motivated the followers through
understand problems of their employees and work with participation in organizational activities. They also worked
them to identify the problem and bring solutions. with the followers and mediated for them. The followers
According to the sample leaders they have worked with supported their leaders’ democratic practices. This is
their employees whenever they faced problem and brought evident from the median score – ‘Frequent True’ (Table
a solution. For them it is almost always true (Table (1)). It (2)).
is frequently true for the sample followers. Both leader and An important factor making democratic style significant is
follower agree that the leader worked with their employees because majority of the sampled leaders are from
whenever they faced problem and brought a solution. government and public sectors organizations. There are few
private sector organizations in Manipur. The bureaucratic
9. MEDIATION officers who are considered as sampled leaders in the study
felt that the final decision makers were not them but higher
A democratic leader is a coach. He or she develops team
authorities. For example the Deputy Commissioners
spirit and high moral among the employees. A leader of
highlighted that they only give suggestions for making
this style mediates for others and provides clear feedbacks.
decisions but the final decision are made at cabinet levels.
Both the leader and follower agree that the sample leader
The sampled leaders recognized that people are less
frequently mediates and give clear feedbacks (Table (1)).
competitive and more collaborative when they are working
The responses of the leader and their subordinates tally
on joint goals. They also agree that collective decision is
which is ‘Frequently True’. So the leaders encourages team
better than individual decision which can be achieved only
sprit and high morale among the employees.
when leaders are democratic in their styles. The sampled
10. OVER-VIEW leaders from the government and public sectors felt that
they involve their subordinates in the decision making
The median score for the sampled leaders falls at the process. These sampled leaders were of the opinion that
highest rating scale – ‘Almost Always True’ (Table (2)). they are public servants and work for the upliftment of the
This result indicates that the sampled top executives of state and for the society at large.
organizations in Manipur are highly democratic in their
leadership practices. In other words, they delegate authority
Table (1): Democratic Leadership Style
Median score
Sl.
Parameters Leaders Followers
No
(Scale) (Scale)
1. Decision making Almost Always True (5) Frequently True (4)
2. Involvement of subordinates Frequently True (4) Frequently True (4)
3. Ideas and inputs Almost Always True(5) Occasionally True(3)
4. Employees’ participation Almost Always True(5) Occasionally True(3)
5. Motivating factor Almost Always True(5) Frequently True (4)
6. Participation and skill sharing Almost Always True(5) Frequently True (4)
7. Work with employees Almost Always True(5) Frequently True (4)
8. Mediation Frequently True (4) Frequently True (4)
Table (2): Democratic Leadership Style
Leader Follower
Response No. of Cumulative Median Response No. of Cumulative Median
category respondents frequency score category respondents frequency score
Almost Almost Almost
112 112 75 75
always true always true always true
Frequently Frequently Frequently
53 165 101 176
true true True
Occasionally Occasionally
23 188 66 242
true true
Seldom true 12 200 Seldom true 36 278
Almost never Almost never
0 200 2 280
true true
Total 200 Total 280 281
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www.ijmit.com International Journal of Management & Information Technology
ISSN: 2278-5612 Volume 3, No 2, January, 2013

[3] Gastil, J. (1994). A definition and illustration of Ist Author’s Biography:

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[9] Denhardt, J. V., & Denhardt, R. B. (2003). The new S.Keshorjit Singh has
public service: Serving, not steering. Armonk, NY: more than a decade of
M. E. Sharpe. experience in teaching
MBA students at
Manipur Institute of
Management Studies,
Manipur University,
India.
He has published in journals of repute. Before
joining the Institute he worked at P&G India for
three years. His area of interest is leadership and
strategic management. He has more than nine years
of experience in research in the field of leadership

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